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R478 GCL

1998 BMW 523

Blue Petrol 2494cc
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MOT Status

Expired
Expires28 Apr 2013
Tests11 (7 pass, 4 fail)
Pass rate63.6%

Mileage

262,147 mi
Last recorded262,147 miles
Recorded on17 Apr 2012
Typical for 1998 BMW 523117,395 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

4 checks still locked for this BMW
Stolen
Finance
Write-off
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Vehicle Details

RegistrationR478 GCL
MakeBMW
Model523
Year1998
ColourBlue
Fuel typePetrol
Engine2,494cc

All premium checks include

50+ data points
Finance Check (Experian) Insurance Write-off Salvage Auction Stolen Check Previous Owners Ex-Taxi, Police, NHS Mileage Anomaly Import / Export Scrapped Check Plate Changes

MOT History

7 pass 4 fail
Pass 17 Apr 2012 262,147 miles

Offside Front Ball joint has slight play (2.2.B.1f)

Offside Front Lower Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 10mm circle within zone 'A' (8.3.1a)

Pass 19 Apr 2011 256,773 miles
Pass 29 Apr 2010 250,428 miles
Pass 31 Mar 2009 236,261 miles

1 LED not working in the high level stop light

Handbrake cable outer sleeve split

Nearside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)

Nearside Rear Sub-frame rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Nearside Rear Sub-frame rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Offside Rear Sub-frame rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Offside Rear Sub-frame rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Oil leak

PAS pump is noisy

Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 10mm circle within zone 'A' (8.3.1a)

Fail 30 Mar 2009 236,261 miles

Nearside Front Headlamp not in good working order adversely affecting beam image (1.2.4a)

Offside Rear Rear position lamp(s) excessively deteriorated so that it is not visible from a reasonable distance (1.1.A.3d)

Handbrake cable outer sleeve split

Nearside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)

Nearside Rear Sub-frame rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Nearside Rear Sub-frame rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Offside Rear Sub-frame rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Offside Rear Sub-frame rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Oil leak

PAS pump is noisy

Pass 2 Apr 2008 220,292 miles

Camcover gasket leaking oil.

Rear exhaust heatshield insecure.

Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 10mm circle within zone 'A' (8.3.1a)

Fail 2 Apr 2008 220,292 miles

Nearside Front Headlamp not in a clean condition affecting beam image (1.2.4a)

Camcover gasket leaking oil.

Rear exhaust heatshield insecure.

Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 10mm circle within zone 'A' (8.3.1a)

Pass 19 Mar 2007 198,896 miles
Fail 16 Mar 2007 198,896 miles

Nearside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

Nearside Rear Air suspension unit deteriorated and likely to fail (2.4.D.1b)

Offside Rear Air suspension unit deteriorated and likely to fail (2.4.D.1b)

Anti-roll bar linkage has slight play in a ball joint (2.4.G.2)

Coolant leak

O/S/R inner tail light not working

Unable to open O/S/R door from outside

Pass 31 Mar 2006 182,419 miles
Fail 30 Mar 2006 182,419 miles

Nearside Rear Brake pipe excessively corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Offside Brake pipe excessively corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Offside Front Brake pipe excessively corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Offside Headlamp excessively damaged so that the light output is severely reduced (1.7.5a)

Nearside Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)

Offside Rear Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Offside Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)

How Reliable is the BMW 523?

Based on 254,660 MOT tests across 20,979 vehicles.

69.9%
Pass Rate
5,849
Miles/Year
30
Year Lifespan
20,979
On UK Roads

Top MOT Failure Points

Parking brake: efficiency below requirements 17,201
Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm 15,085
parking brake recording little or no effort 9,427
Brake pipe excessively corroded 9,143
Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid 7,285
Full BMW 523 reliability report

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R478 GCL is a 1998 BMW 523 in Blue with a 2,494cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 11 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 63.6%.

Across all 1998 BMW 523 models, the average MOT pass rate is 67.9% with a typical mileage of 117,395 miles. This particular vehicle has a lower pass rate than the average for its year, which may indicate maintenance issues worth investigating.

The most common reason a BMW 523 fails its MOT is parking brake: efficiency below requirements, accounting for 17,201 recorded failures. If you're considering buying R478 GCL, it's worth having these areas checked by a mechanic before committing.

The BMW 523 typically stays on UK roads for around 30 years. At 28 years old, this BMW 523 is approaching the upper end of the typical lifespan for this model.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I check the history of R478 GCL?

You can check the full history of R478 GCL by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was R478 GCL registered?

R478 GCL is a 1998 BMW 523, first registered on 1 April 1998.

Is R478 GCL safe to buy?

The MOT history for R478 GCL shows 11 tests with a 63.6% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does R478 GCL have outstanding finance?

Finance checks require a premium vehicle report. This checks against all major UK finance providers to see if there is any outstanding finance on R478 GCL. If you buy a car with outstanding finance, the finance company can repossess it.

No warranty or guarantee of accuracy is provided for any free data on this page. The data guarantee applies only to information obtained through the purchase of a full check.